Julie Garwood - Mercy

Theo nodded. "Nick hates flying," he explained. "When did I give you his phone number? I don't remember."

"When you were in pre-op. You were very talkative, once we gave you something to get rid of the pain, and by the way, the answer's no. I won't marry you."

He smiled, sure she was joking. "I don't remember being in pre-op. I remember the pain, though. It hurt like a son of a…"

"I'm sure it did."

"You did the surgery, didn't you? I didn't imagine that?"

"Yes, I did the surgery."

She was backing out of the room. He didn't want her to leave just yet. He wanted to find out more about her. Hell, he wished he were more adept at small talk.

"Wait."

She stopped. "Yes?"

"Water… could I have a glass of water?"

She went to the bedside table, poured a tiny bit of water into a glass, and handed it to him. "Just a sip," she said. "If you get nauseated and throw up, you'll mess up my stitches."

"Okay," he said. He took a drink and handed the glass back to her. "You don't look old enough to be a surgeon." Stupid, he thought, but it was the best he could come up with at the moment.

"I hear that a lot."

"You look like you should be in college." That statement, he decided, was worse than stupid.

She couldn't resist. "High school, actually. They let me operate for extra credit."

"Dr. Renard? May I interrupt?" A male aide was standing in the hallway, shifting a large cardboard box under his arm.

"Yes, Bobby?"

"Dr. Cooper filled this box with medical supplies from his office for your clinic," the young man said. "What do you want me to do with it? Dr. Cooper left it at the nurses' station, but they wanted it moved. It was in the way."

"Would you mind taking it down to my locker?"

"It's too big, Dr. Renard. It won't fit. It isn't heavy, though. I could carry it out to your car."

"My father has the car," she said. She glanced around, then looked at Theo. "Would you mind if Bobby left my box here? My father will carry it down to the car for me just as soon as he arrives."

"I don't mind," Theo said.

"I won't be seeing you again. I'm going home today, but don't worry. You're in good hands. Dr. Cooper's chief of surgery here at Brethren, and he'll take good care of you."

"Where's home?"

"In the swamp."

"Are you kidding?"

"No," she said. She smiled again, and he noticed the little dimple in her left cheek. "Home is a little town that's pretty much surrounded by swamp, and I can't wait to get back there."

"Homesick?"

"Yes, I am," she admitted. "I'm a small-town girl at heart. It isn't a very glamorous life, and that's what I like about it."

"You like living in the swamp." It was a statement not a question, but she responded anyway.

"You sound shocked."

"No, just surprised."

"You're from a big, sprawling city, so you'd probably hate it."

"Why do you say that?"

She shrugged. "You seem too… sophisticated."

He didn't know if that was a compliment or a criticism. "Sometimes you can't go home. I think I read that in a book once. Besides, you look like a New Orleans kind of woman to me."

"I love New Orleans. It's a wonderful place to come for dinner."

"But it won't ever be home."

"No."

"So, are you the town doctor?"

"One of several," she said. "I'm opening a clinic there. It's not very fancy, but there's a real need. So many of the people don't have the resources to get regular medical care."

"Sounds like they're very lucky to have you."

She shook her head. "Oh, no, I'm the lucky one." Then she laughed. "That sounded saintly, didn't it? I am the lucky one, though. The people are wonderful- at least I think they are-and they give me far more than I can give them." When she spoke, her whole face lit up. "You know what I'm going to like best?"

"What's that?"

"No games. For the most part, they're honest, ordinary people trying to scrape a living together. They don't waste a lot of time on foolishness."

"So, everyone loves everyone else?" He scoffed at the notion.

"No, of course not," she replied. "But I'll know my enemies. They won't sneak up behind me and blind-side me. It isn't their style." She smiled again. "They'll get right in my face, and I'm going to like that. Like I said, no games. After the residency I just finished, that's going to be a refreshing change."

"You won't miss the big beautiful office and all the trappings?"

"Not really. There are rewards other than money. Oh sure, it would be great to have all the supplies and equipment we need, but we'll make do. I've spent a lot of years getting ready for this… besides, I made a promise."

He kept asking her questions to keep her talking. He was interested in hearing about her town but not nearly as much as he was fascinated with her expressions. There was such passion and joy in her voice, and her eyes sparkled as she talked about her family and friends and the good she hoped she could do.

She reminded him of how he had felt about life when he had first started practicing the law, before he'd become so cynical. He, too, had wanted to change the world, to make it a better place. Rebecca had ended all that. Looking back, he realized he had failed miserably.

"I've worn you out, going on and on about my hometown. I'll let you rest now," she said.

"When can I get out of here?"

"That's Dr. Cooper's call, but if it were up to me, I'd keep you another night. You had quite a nasty infection. You need to take it easy for a couple of weeks, and don't forget to take your antibiotics. Good luck, Theo."

And then she was gone, and he'd lost the only chance he had to find out more about her. He didn't even know where her home was. He fell asleep trying to figure out a way to see her again.

The room was filled with flowers when Theo woke up from his morning nap. He heard whispering in the hallway, opened his eyes, and saw a nurse talking to an older man. She was pointing to the box the aide had left.

The man looked like a retired linebacker, Theo thought. Or maybe a boxer. If he was Dr. Renard's father, she'd gotten her good looks from her mother's side of the family.

"I don't want to disturb you," the man said, his voice thick with a Cajun accent. "I'd just like to pick up this box Dr. Cooper fixed up for my daughter and be on my way."

"Come in," Theo said. "You're Dr. Renard's father, aren't you?"

"That's right. My name's Jake. Jake Renard." He walked over to the side of the bed and shook Theo's hand. Theo didn't have to introduce himself. Jake knew who he was. "My girl told me all about you."

"She did?" He couldn't hide his surprise.

Jake nodded. "You must have been real quick, son, because my Mike knows how to take care of herself."

Theo didn't know what the man was talking about. "I was 'quick'?"

"When you clipped her," he explained. "Where'd you think she got that shiner?"

"I did that?" He was incredulous. He had no memory of it, and she hadn't said anything about it. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. I figured you didn't mean to hit her. She told me you were in considerable pain at the time. You were lucky she noticed you." He leaned against the bed rail and folded his arms across his chest. "Now, my daughter doesn't usually talk about her patients, but I knew she had gone to a fancy party wearing a brand-new dress she didn't want to spend money on, and when I asked her if she had a good time, she told me about you. She had only just gotten there when she had to turn around and go back to the hospital. She didn't get to have a single bite of food."

"I should apologize to her."

"You tore her dress. You should probably tell her you're sorry about that too."

"I tore her dress?"

"Just after you threw up on her." Jake chuckled, then shook his head. "Ruined that brand-new four-hundred-dollar dress."